Nandina plant named ‘ZhNan53’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Nandina plant named ‘ZhNan53’, characterized by a combination of compact growing form, dense foliage, red fall foliage persistent to 6 months, no seed, and no notable disease and pest.

Botanical designation: Nandina domestica.

Cultivar denomination ‘ZhNan53’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nandina,botanically know as Nandina domestica, and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘ZhNan53’.

The new Nandina domestica ‘ZhNan53’ is a product of a planned breedingprogram conducted by the inventors at a horticulture farm inWatkinsville, Ga. The objective of the Nandina breeding is to create newplant cultivars with compact habit, bright and colorful foliage, andless seed-bearing characteristics.

The new Nandina domestica ‘ZhNan53’ is a product of a selection fromopen pollinated seedling population of plants of an unnamed selection ofNandina domestica. Seeds were collected on Sep. 23, 2012 from sixcompact-growing plants labeled as ‘Nandina01-02’ to ‘Nandina06-02’ (all6 plants were not patented) at the horticulture farm in Watkinsville,Ga. and directly saw them into the germination flat. A total of 1108germinated seedlings were transplanted into one-gallon containers onMar. 11, 2013 for evaluation. On Oct. 8, 2014, seedlings without compactgrowing habit were discarded and 644 seedlings were grown on the nurseryarea for further evaluation as red, yellow and apricot foliage groups.Five plants from red foliage group were selected for further evaluation,and Nandina domestica ‘ZhNan53’ was finally selected on Dec. 8, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nandina domestica ‘ZhNan53’ usingvegetative terminal cuttings and tissue culture in controlledenvironment has been continued in Watkinsville, Ga. since 2014.Observations of the resulting ‘ZhNan53’ progeny have shown that theunique features of this new Nandina domestica ‘ZhNan53’ are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Nandina cultivar ‘ZhNan53’ has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as water and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique and distinguishing characteristics of the new Nandinadomestica cultivar named ‘ZhNan53’. In combination, these traits set‘ZhNan53’ apart from all other existing varieties of Nandina domesticaknown to the inventors.

-   -   1. Compact growing form.    -   2. Dense foliage.    -   3. Bright red fall foliage.    -   4. Bright red foliage persistent to 6 months    -   5. No flower and seed observed.    -   6. No notable disease and pest.

Plants of the new Nandina differ from plants of Nandina domesticacultivar ‘Gulf Stream’ (U.S. Pat. No. 5,656) in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nandina exhibit bright red fall foliage.    -   2. Plants of the new Nandina are extremely compact, with tighter        branches and denser foliage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographic illustrations show the overallappearance and distinct characteristics of the new cultivar of Nandinadomestica ‘ZhNan53’ showing the colors as true as possible. Colors inthe photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description, which accurately describes the colors ofthe new Nandina domestica ‘ZhNan53’. The photographs were taken ofplants grown outdoors in Watkinsville, Ga. on Jan. 6, 2016.

The photograph labeled FIG. 1 depicts a top view of a typical 3-year-old‘ZhNan53’ plant showing the bright red foliage.

The photograph labeled FIG. 2 depicts a close-up view of the leaves of atypical 3-year-old ‘ZhNan53’ plant showing the bright red foliage.

The photograph labeled FIG. 3 depicts a side view of a typical3-year-old ‘ZhNan53’ plant showing the bright red foliage.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements,and values describe plants of the Nandina domestica cultivar named‘ZhNan53’. Data were collected from a horticulture farm and nursery inWatkinsville, Ga. from 3-year-old plants (planted into 3-galloncontainer). The average low temperatures ranged from about 22-23° F. to67-68° F. in the winter and about 66-67° F. to 97-98° F. in summer. Thedata below were collected on Jan. 6, 2016. Color names and values arefrom The R.H.S. Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition, published by The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S.), London, UK in 2007, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nandina domestica ‘ZhNan53’.-   Commercial classification: Shrub.-   Parentage: Open pollination/seed propagation of six Nandina    domestica cultivars ‘Nandina01-02’, ‘Nandina02-02’, ‘Nandina03-02’,    ‘Nandina04-02’, ‘Nandina05-02’, and ‘Nandina06-02’, none of which    are patented.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings and tissue            culture.        -   Growth rate.—Hardwood cuttings rooted in 3-5 weeks at            temperature of 75F under the mist.        -   Root description.—White fibrous roots, initiated at the            portion right under the media.        -   Rooting habit.—Dense, health, freely branching root system.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Evergreen shrub, upright with densely foliated, round            or very short columnar.        -   Branching habit.—Upright, compact.        -   Usage.—Various uses, such as container patio plants, potted            plants, border, hedge, and mass planting.        -   Vigor.—Vigorous in the first and second years, then very            slowly.        -   Size of plant.—A. Height (cm): About 27 cm. B. Plant            diameter and area of spread (diameter of the canopy): About            36 cm.        -   Stem.—A. Color: 1. Upper: N78B. 2. Lower: 200B. B. Length:            About 19.6 cm. C. Base diameter: About 7 mm. D. Pubescence:            None. E. Shape: Rounded. F. Odor (of bruised stem): None. G.            Internode length: About 4 mm, covered by petiole sheath. H.            Description: Stem completely covered by foliage, not            showy. I. Texture and strength, mature: Very strong woody            stems, a few upright later branching, which significantly            increased plant density and foliage covering.        -   Leaf.—A. Leaf type: Bi- or tri-pinnately compound. B. Mature            size (L×W): About 19.6×about 14.7 cm. C. Arrangement on            stem: Alternate. D. Leaf number: Average of about 9 to about            18 per lateral branch.        -   Leaflet.—A. Color (R.H.S.): 1. Fall-Winter: Predominately            45B, range 45A to 45C on upper surfaces and 55A on lower            surfaces. Red foliage initiates in October and ends in            May. 2. Summer: 137A on upper surfaces and 136C on lower            surfaces. B. Mature size (L×W): About 2.6×about 1.1 cm. C.            Apex: Acuminate. D. Base: Cuneate. E. Margin: Entire. F.            Shape: Lanceolate. G. Number of lobes: None. H. Pubescence:            None (glabrous). I. Venation: Netted (reticulate). J.            Texture: Leathery, smooth on both sides.        -   Petiole.—A. Length: About 3.2 cm. B. Shape: rounded. C.            Color (R.H.S.). 1. Fall/Winter: 60A. 2. Summer: 137B. D.            Pubescence: None. E. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. F. Sheath:            Semi-sheath about 1 cm long, covered stem to about ⅔.        -   Flower.—None.        -   Fruit.—None.        -   Seed.—None.-   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nandina have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 11° F. to about 104° F.    and have been observed to be very tolerant to drought and full sun    conditions.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nandina have been    observed to be resistant to diseases and pests common to Nandina.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of the Nandina plant named‘ZhNan53’ as illustrated and described herein.